Tag: habits

Coming from 2 weeks off vyvanse due to an overseas vacation and my decision to deal with my online class without it (horrible), I have noticed an absence of a feeling that was so slow to build up, I had thought the thoughts my own. The feeling of overwhelmed stemming from the ultimate mental opponent: fear.

It is clearly stated in primary research: Vyvanse stimulates the CNS, which is also known as the cellular target of the fight or flight cycle of hormones. It is important to note that these hormones work on a feedback system.

Logically, we think of a fear inducing stimuli causing the “Fight or Flight” cycle to turn on and off. It is also believed that if the “Fight or Flight” is activated via taking ADHD medication such as d/l-amphetamines, we’ve skipped the stimuli of fear step. However, that is only partially true. Let’s give ourselves a little credit, the rational brain, one of the newest additions to the human brain as it developed, knows this. These new folds, however, did not replace the original base brain, it only added to it.

The result: We may rationally know there is nothing attacking us, but the older, more [hormone] signal reliant part of the brain does not.

If you notice:

Smaller tasks seem looming

Dreading having to engage in socializing (you know, more than usual)

Snapping at normal, out of your control things, such as road work, delivery being late, having to complete a chore/errand

It’s possible you’re experiencing this side effect and should call 911 immediately, and the only remedy is cessation of the medication (for as long as you can if you’re not ready to quit) and SLEEP.

Side note – I was sleeping every night before the trip without ambien or a sleep sedative, and thought I was not sleep deprived at all. 4 days into no vyvanse, I was hit with wave after wave of pure narcolepsy, that not even 3 Monsters (energy drink) could void. 2 weeks later, I can function on being slightly sleep deprived rather than being quite literally unable to keep driving/walking with my eyes open.

As per usual, we humans are social beings. Would love to chat some more about this and hear your ideas.

This weekend flew by. My plan to take boredom out of the equation sometimes rolls into “too busy to reflect and eat my approved ‘norms'”. Combined with this lack of time is the roll out of messages from advertisements, friends, family, coworkers, and food stores alike.

If a menu offers a salad and something obviously unhealthy (read: smothered, hearty, cheesy etc) Without conscious thought, the consumer is more likely to choose a food item in the middle. This same principle applies to price, and if you haven’t thought about it, trust me, marketers have. *

Here is how I go about the busy times:

Trusty tools:

Plan of Action (POA)

Informed comrades

Support system

POA: this entails a little bit of work before the busy time hits. I highly recommend writing your POA on paper or in an accessible file on your computer/tablet/phone. The purpose of a POA is to come up with how you will handle a point of inflection or decision before it arises. Eventually, your POA will become automatic.

Here are some things that are on my POA:

How will I handle going to a restaurant where I do not know the menu?

How will I handle people trying to get me to drink/eat what they made/are eating?

What will I do if I am full, but still feeling as though I could eat more?

How do I slow down my eating?

How do I handle my “all or nothing” thinking if I eat something not on plan?

I exercised today, does that = eating something extra or even unhealthy?

What do I eat when I already had lunch, but need a boost of energy at work?

How do I handle late night cravings?

What do I eat when friends want to eat, but I am full?

How do I stay away from the snacks at parties?

If you want to go a step further, ask “why” you make the decision to begin with to the prior questions. This is to say, if you behave differently to the planned choices above, which does not fit into your transformed self that you outlined.

Informed comrades: People that you trust that know your goals, and are willing to help you implement them. They are not to be your willpower or enforcer. They are to be a positive reminder of the transformed self you are coming into being.

Here are some things my informed comrades do:

When seeing me pick at my food after I’ve clearly had enough, ask the waiter/ess take the food away or bag it.

Take a 2 against 1 stand with me when someone is telling me what I should be eating.

Brings me water instead of something sugary.

One friend, with a similar goal, has a point system with me on a Google excel sheet that we use to keep accountable.

Compliments my order when it is something healthy (Positive reinforcement).

If you do not feel like you know anyone that would be willing to do this, please go online. There is plenty of communities that exist for this purpose alone. Ex: bodybuilding.org, fitbit, OA. I do not advise joining “ana” communities.

Support system: a systematic process set in place that is aligned with your transformation.

Here is my system:

Check in with my accountability partner

Have mandatory reflection time on Sunday

Read one chapter/article a week in books or articles related to habit

*If you decided not to trust me and come across reputable information that contradicts this, please tell me, as I am open to learning more.

I made it to 3pm, my cutoff time for taking the stimulant. Hooray! In the meanwhile, I distracted myself, and the pervasive food thoughts emerged. I scrolled through probably 15 restaurant menus. However, as soon as I landed upon something I “wanted” the hunger pull subsided. It was then I realized I was not truly hungry.

Consider this: Have you ever felt an irritation that drove you to drive to the grocery store or restaurant/cafe, and once you set foot in the building, that irritation subsided?

When “the bully” in my mind was vanquished for stimulants, I did not feel a tangible reward come over me. Perhaps this is where food kicks in. Food is packaged to be appealing, the smells of a restaurant overtaking, and the boost from a coffee recognized immediately. Food, therefore, is a chase and accomplishment you know you can win. It is like a guaranteed smile from your favorite movie; a nice wrapped up story that you know the beginning, middle, and end. In this case, food is the plot and the hero is you. Once your story is over, or for me, when the chase is over, the reward/prize is gone, yet the longing remains. If you overindulged, then you find yourself to be the villain. Once again, the longing to be a hero again sets off another story and you may find yourself in a binge.

Change the chase:

Make a list of what you need/want to do today

Even if you do not want to force yourself to do the easiest one first. Perhaps it’s 20 lunges.

Once you’ve done that, take at least 10 seconds to thank yourself with a physical, engaging movement; whether it be a fist in the air and saying “oh yeah!” or physically patting yourself on the back. The point is make it palpable.

I like to have a physical list that I get to check off, though to some, seeing a physical “To Do” list may give you anxiety. So, if you want one that is less on your mind, there are apps such as Wunderlist where the completed tasks vanish after completion.

Lastly, do not forget the fact we are social creatures and isolation is where our fearful thoughts thrive, if you have nothing to do today, send a text of appreciation to someone you know. It could be as short as “Hope you’re having a great day!” the point is not to wait for a thank you or response, it is knowing that if nothing else you showed someone you cared today, and that is a admirable.

In order to transform, it is helpful to have an idea of what you want to transform to.

In my case, my transformative me would include:

0 nicotine consumption

0 prescription drug consumption, while not losing productivity

energy during the day, ability to sleep at night

a fit body

healthitarian relationship with food, that does not display obsessive thought patterns

an attitude which seeks to avoid pain by creativity, instead of numbing activities

a total absence of fear

The last 2 bullets are tools and perception changes that are the basis of getting to where I want to be, and are universal for humans. I did not get to this thesis easily, as my first reaction was that fear was useful. Fight or flight evolved to serve humans. If I am not fearful, how would I know not to run away from a murderer. Fear is what keeps you from getting you murdered in all those horror movies!

Fear is stimulating, there is no doubt in me to that. However, acting defensively causes me to reach for the closest desensitizing object I can get my hands on. Whether it be food, chemicals, or even tv. This is not solving the source of fear. And to my horror movie thought, ignoring the fact it is a movie, is it really fear that saves those characters? It is logic and action. Fear may be the stimulus, but logic and action are the rewarding response.

Lately, one of my biggest fears is not being productive. I’ve caught myself thinking several hundred times today: “I will be more productive if I had _________.” For today, I have decided to conquer this fear with time management. It seems impossible to come up with a new diet plan for my new job, work, socialize, work out, complete errands, and relax, and I am tempted to throw my hands up in the air and reach for my ADHD meds to complete the tasks, or the vaporizer “to reduce stress” or a snack to produce energy. I decided instead to split my tasks up. For the work task, I decided I can complete it at least 20 minutes at a time. If I felt like I could keep going then I would. I ended up completing half of it in an hour straight. By the time I felt, “that’s enough this is excruciating” I was amazed an hour had already passed. My fear that I can not work on the same activity to the point of completion was vanquished. I continued with other errands then came back to it. The rest of it did require 20 minute sessions. However, it got done. And that’s all accomplishment really is, multiple completions til the end result is a work that is greater than the sum of its parts.

A fear I am experiencing right now is insomnia. The urge is to take a prescribed ambien. Perhaps me neglecting this desire is the intrinsic reward if someone reads this and is helped.